productivity

I've been running around like a chicken without a head .. wholesale orders to be fulfilled, and custom orders that I'm so delayed with. Busy, very busy at work, and trying to get my grip on x-mas gifts early this year (for a change).

I'm flying to Hong Kong tomorrow for my friend's wedding on Saturday, but I'll be back next Wednesday, hopefully with some nice photos and crafty shopping to show you.

For those who asked about the yarn below .. well, it's an obscure Portuguese brand that I found by accident at one of the local yarn stores. I'm trying to find more information about them but it's been difficult (the company is called "B M G Affinitas Lda", and the yarn brand is "Terra"). The yarn is wonderful though, 100% wool and knits up pretty fast on 9mm needles. I'm probably going to use about three skeins for the scarf, and with the other two that I'll have left maybe knit a matching hat ? I've thought about knitting the Snowball pattern from the latest Interweave, but I don't have enough yarn for that, so any suggestions on nice hat patterns are welcome. Oh, and thanks for the online yarn shop suggestions, I'm going to check them out !

The batch of bookcovers below are on their way to the Centésima Página bookstore in Braga - will be available from Dec. 1st - I didn't have time to finish the covers for the online shop, but I did add a couple of knitting needle cases just now.

(and later tonight, hopefully a good concert: Interpol + Blonde Redhead)

na maçã

disponíveis na maçã riscada, em Palmela

wip

I wish all weeks could've been like last week, just three days of work and four to do whatever I wanted (which was mostly reading and knitting)

I did finish "World without end" on Friday, I lay down on the couch for hours and didn't leave until I was done. Which means the book is good. Not amazingly good, I still think Pillars was better, but good enough to make me forget anything else for several hours. Sometimes the plot, or the characters, would remind me strongly of Pillars but both stories are quite independent. One thing I like about Follett's historical novels is that he makes them seem so real. He describes the day to day life quite vividly, the good parts and especially the bad ones (why would I be surprised that in that age and time a man could legally trade his daughter for a cow ?). There's war, the plague, the usual politics and intrigues, and so many twists and turns that kept me entertained until the end.

I also read a young adult fantasy novel by Sharon Shinn, "The truth teller's tale". Cute, reminded me a bit of Summers at Castle Auburn (a favorite) in a fairy tale kind of way.

The knitting also progressed immensely (it helped that I had so many series and movies recorded to watch on dvd).

I started the lace portion of Juliet, and so far it's looking quite good



I finished the foliage hat, but forgot to take a picture so I'll show you that later

I've turned the heel on the sock, and am now knitting the instep (a first one for me, so I'm entitled to some gloating). Sock knitting may become my most recent obsession from now on.



And started yet another project, just because I couldn't resist this beautiful yarn (notice how the yarn itself is already 'knitted'). It's the my so called scarf pattern. Teresa is also making a beautiful one here.





I discovered last Friday that one of my favorite yarn stores is closing down by the end of the year (nº 5C na Rua Acácio Paiva, em Alvalade). It makes me sad, because it's one of those traditional shops that unfortunately tend to exist less and less here in Lisbon. The ladies there were always a bit grumpy but once they started knowing me better they would give me good advice, and I usually buy my Katia yarn there (love their merino wool). Business is bad, is what they told me. Anyway, it seems I might have to start buying my yarn online as well - does anyone have good suggestions of online yarn stores ? KnitPicks doesn't ship to Portugal, but handpainteyarn is very tempting, and I recently discovered that etsy also has some interesting offers.

on books (and bookcovers)

see what's arrived here ? my latest bookdepository order ! And in it, my long awaited copy of Ken Follett's World without end.

Since Pillars of the earth is one of my all time favorite historical novels ever - I first read it more than ten years ago - I've been really looking forward to reading this. I've already started it, covered about 200 pages the other night, but I'm slowing down so I can savor it properly ... it is about 900 pages long, so it should last me until the weekend at least.



Also on this pile is Jane's book. I've always loved reading her blog, and planned to purchase the book way before all the uproar it generated. I can't wait to get started with this either. I know it will be an amazing read, Jane has a way with words that never fails to impress me, and her projects are always an inspiration. As for the rest, well, I'm so glad I live in a time and age where women can actually choose what they want to do with their lives and not be confined to restricted standards of society anymore. So if I enjoy being a career woman (most days, anyway) but I also love sewing and knitting and baking, and actually make the time for it, don't you think it's possible to have it both ways ? I'd say it's a question of balance, and lifestyle and life choices and to each its own (Yvonne recently made a good point here)



Still on books, and replying to a couple of comments and e-mails I got, here's a short review of a few things I read recently:
* Julie & Julia: I should've known better than to purchase a book based on all the hype and buzz. I really tried to enjoy it, I did, but the author was whining so much all the time I couldn't stand it. Some of the cooking parts were interesting enough, but that was it.
* Ysabel: I usually love Guy Gavriel Kay's books, but this one was much of a disappointment. The setting was promising (Provence, although in modern times) but the story not that engrossing and too predictable, especially when compared to Lions of Al-Rassan (my favorite one) or the Sarantine books. I hope the next one gets better...
* Moonshine and The girl's guide to kissing frogs: for chic lit, I think that V. Clayton does it quite well (thanks to my friend T for lending these to me). Moonshine is my all time favorite now of all her books, a romantic story with very captivating characters. The other one is not as good, but still it makes a good read.
* Stick Figure: anorexia in an 11 year old girl. It's scary to think how this is possible, but the book is quite well written, funny and very believable.



Anyway, how did this post get so long ? What I really wanted to share with you today was my new bookcover design. This idea came to me while I was stuck in traffic the other day. It's a mix of all previous designs into one, actually. The elastic rubber closure loop and the couple of buttons ensures that I can use this for several book thicknesses, like the wrap around covers. The outside patchwork strip holds the cover together and the inside strips are used for not letting the book slip. This way I can actually read without having to take the cover off.



I used the linen and japanese cotton fabrics mix here, but I'm thinking on a few variations on that. So what do you think ? I'd really love to get your opinion on the several bookcover types that I usually make, so I can plan better for my next shop updates. For example, my first covers all had felt appliqué designs on them, but I've stopped doing so much of them because felt doesn't really hold very well with time (and it's terrible for washing). So tell me what's your favorite, will you ? I really appreciate the feedback.

I'm signing off early this week, since tomorrow we have a holiday so I'm having a long weekend ahead. Lots of knitting, sewing, reading, bike riding, planning to go see this exhibit, or maybe just doing nothing for a few days ...

(Before I go, did anyone watch the "Truth about food" BBC documentaries these past sundays ? I thought they were very interesting, now I'm ever so glad I enjoy eating tomatoes, and spinach and berries, among other things, and I don't need to feel so guilty about not drinking enough water anymore. I was surprised about the detox diet results, I really expected there would be a difference. I only caught the last two episodes, but the book is already on my wish list)

shop update

As promised, a couple of messenger and pocket bags available at the shop now.